SB 953
Johnson Bill Limits Pre-Suit Depositions To People With Actual Damages
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to eligibility to request a deposition before bringing a civil action.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Ask without damages? You pay the other side’s lawyers. The Texas Supreme Court can’t change it.
The bill writes into state law the ability to ask a court for a deposition before a lawsuit is filed, but only for a person who has suffered, or reasonably expects to suffer, actual damages. Anyone who files that kind of request without meeting the damages test must pay the lawyers' fees of each person they tried to depose. It also bars the Texas Supreme Court from changing or repealing this rule through its own court rules, and it takes effect immediately with a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 28, 2025 and referred to the Senate Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB953 · 2025-01-28
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to eligibility to request a deposition before bringing a civil action.
WHAT IT DOES
Ask without damages? You pay the other side’s lawyers. The Texas Supreme Court can’t change it.
The bill writes into state law the ability to ask a court for a deposition before a lawsuit is filed, but only for a person who has suffered, or reasonably expects to suffer, actual damages. Anyone who files that kind of request without meeting the damages test must pay the lawyers' fees of each person they tried to depose. It also bars the Texas Supreme Court from changing or repealing this rule through its own court rules, and it takes effect immediately with a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Jurisprudence
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
“A person who files a petition in violation of this section is liable to each person attempted to be deposed in the petition for that person's attorney's fees incurred in defending against the petition.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill limits pre-suit fishing depositions and makes the filer pay the target's legal fees, which shields people from investigative discovery brought without real damages.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Texas Sands PAC$129,500.00
Texas Sands PAC
$129,500.00
- Cash
- $129,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $129,500.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texas Sands PAC
$129,500.00
- Cash
- $129,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $129,500.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Jan 28, 2025
02/13/2025 S Referred to Jurisprudence
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Civil Remedies & Liabilities
Courts--Civil Procedure
Text
The text as introduced · 266 words
89R1539 SCL-D By: Johnson S.B. No. 953 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to eligibility to request a deposition before bringing a civil action. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 20, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended by adding Section 20.003 to read as follows: Sec. 20.003. ELIGIBILITY TO REQUEST DEPOSITION BEFORE BRINGING ACTION. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), a person may petition a court for an order authorizing the taking of a deposition on oral examination or written questions to: (1) perpetuate or obtain the person's own testimony or that of any other person for use in an anticipated action; or (2) investigate a potential claim or action. (b) A person may not petition the court for a deposition described by Subsection (a) if the person has not sustained or will not reasonably expect to sustain actual damages in the person's anticipated or potential claim or action. (c) A person who files a petition in violation of this section is liable to each person attempted to be deposed in the petition for that person's attorney's fees incurred in defending against the petition. (d) Notwithstanding Section 22.004, Government Code, this section may not be modified or repealed by a rule adopted by the supreme court. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.